Indurated casein compound.



BYRON B. GOLDSMITH, OF NEW YORK, N.

INDURATED CASEIN COMPOUND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 19, 1910.

No Drawing. Original application filed October 7, 1907, Serial No. 396,189. Divided and this application filed January 2, 1909. Serial No. 470,392.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BYRON B. GOLDSMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Indurated Casein Compound, of which the following is a specification.

This application is a division of my pending application forimprovement in indurated thermoplastic compound, filed Oct. 7th, 1907, Serial No. 396,189.

In my U. S. Patent Number 840,981,

- dated January 8th, 1909, I have described a process whereby a thermoplastic compound may be made from casein or its derivatives, as a convenient and cheap substitute for celluloid, rubber and the like; andil made it clear in said patent that the term thermoplastic was meant to describe those masses which, while relatively hard at ordinary temperatures, are rendered softer by heat, so as to permit the uniting of separate masses and the molding of any mass to any desired shape.

My present invention is based upon the discovery that, by uniting the action of converting agents with that of an indurating agent, such as formaldehyde, or its equivalents, upon casein, its derivatives and compounds, an improved result is obtained, and J a mass is produced whichis useful for many. purposes.

hydroc My novel invention is based upon the discovery that the three principal elements of my compound, namely, the casein, a converting agent and an indurating agent (particularly formaldehyde orits equivalent) can be combined substantially as herein described and I have discovered that formaldehyde or its equivalent has the effect of correcting certain undesirable tendencies apt to follow the. use of a converting agent, as will appear hereinafter.

The converting agent in my process is that chemical substance which, when combined or admixed with the albuminoid, acts whenever heated, to soften-the same. but whose softening action is suspended or materially diminished upon lowering the temperature of the mass. eras of converting agen salicyiic sci-J acid, phl'oroglucin, pyrogallol, anilin, toluidin and Xylidin. stances and their derivatives and compounds are known to me to give good results for the purposes above set forth, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to these substances and their derivatives and compounds, but that the term converting agent as used herein refers to any compound or substance having the effect described.

In many cases the derivatives of casein 0 their compounds, or combinations of two or more of them, give results superior to those resulting from use of casein alone.

The degree of hardness of the thermoplastic compound in the cold state will vary with the particular converting agent or agents employed and with the proportions used. Thus a great variety of characteristics are obtained by suitable variations in proportions and qualities.

In the manufacture of my composition Although these sub- 7 casein is mixed with the converting and the on. the mixing rolls. Any other method of uniting these substances may be resorted to by which they are brought into intimate contact. Instead of using the converting agents in their natural state,-theymay be used in solution, in alcohol or water, or other suitable ,li uid which is afterward driven off by heatlng. The amount of converting agent which can be mixed-with the casein can be varied within wide limits when used in combination-with an indurating agent and can be anywhere from less than one-quarter the amount of caseinused, up to more than an equal amount, as the indurating agent seems to act on the cons verting agent in some way which makes this possible. Scraps of various substances may be mixed in with the masses thus formed in considerable quantities. Among these are celluloid scraps, finely divided al- Q used applies to those agents, like formalde- T lard-e. which give to the compound greater I toughness and pennanency. increasing the 5 re istance to the action of water and lessen-' ing the tendency to separation of ingre-.

sible tendency of the mass to stick to the mold in forming and thus produce a better impression.

The use of formaldehyde or its equivalents in the manner herein specified has another valuable advantage. It is found that when the converting agent is a solid one and is used without an indurating agent in suflicient quantities to make an easily moldable mass, there is a tendency for the converting agent to separate and form a deposit upon the surface of the finished article. This gives a spotted appearance which would make an article unmarketable. On the other hand, if the indurating agent is used, this tendency is entirely overcome, and a composition made in accordance with my present invention may contain very large amounts of converting agent and canbe made as plastic as desired Without danger of spotting through the cause above described.

Instead of acting on the casein with the converting agent and the indurating agent so that the two are added together to the casein as above described I can employ the converting agent first, by proceedinggas follows: If only surface action is required, the compound of proteid and converting agent is molded into approximately final form, and may then be dipped into a solution of the indurating agent or maybe subjected to gaseous action (where formaldehyde is used). been prolonged until the required depth of action is attained, the partly formed mass can be heated and molded to final form.

Again, my robess may be carried out by sprinkling t e combined albuminoid and converting agent in a finely divided state with a solution of the indurating agent and fthen, after s'ufiiciently continued action, drying the mass and molding it by heat and pressure.

I have found that, in order to obtain the best results a non-hygroscopic converting agent should be used, and I have made a specific claim herein for converting agents of this character.

It is to be understood that my process may be carried out with a greater or less degree of indu'rati'on, andin some cases it ifs notadvisable to carry this process very The indurating agent may obviously be first employed in manufacturenf the material before compression and a sebond time upon the compressed mass or on the finished article.

I do not herein "claim s ecifically. the process of treating with t e ihdurating agent before addition of" the converting agent, as this is claimed in a divisional ap- After this treatment has plication filed April 27th, 1910, Serial No. 558,034.

What I claim is 1. The process of producing agthermoplastic compound which consists in subjecting a casein to the combined action of a converting agent and an indurating agent and heating and pressing the mass, substantially as described.

2. The process of producing a thermoplastic compound which consists in mixing a converting agent with a casein and causing an indurating agent to act upon the mixed ingredients, substantially as described.

3. The process of producing a thermoplastic compound whlch consists in intimately mixing a converting agent and an indu-rating agent with casein and subjecting the mass to heat and pressure, substantially as described.

4. The process of producing a thermoplastic compound which consists in subject'- ing casein to the combined action of a converting agent and an indurating agent, substantially as described.

' '5. The process of producing a thermo plastic compound which consists .in uniting casein with formaldehyde or its equivalent,

and a converting agent, anduheating and pressing the mass, substantially as described.

6. The process of producing a thermoplastic compound which consists in uniting casein with an indurati'ng agent and a nor mally solid converting agent, and heating and pressing'the mass, substantially as described.

7. The process of Jproducing.a thermo plastic compound which consists in sub ect ing casein to the combined action of beta' naphthol or its, equivalent and formaldehyde or its equivalent, substantially as described.

8. The process of producing a thermoplastic compound which consists in uniting casein with an indurating agent and a solid,

non-hygroscopic converting agent and then subjecting the mass to heat and pressure, substantially as described.

9. The process of producing a thermoing casein Withanindurating a ent and a converting agent min-volatile aordinary- I 15 plastic compound which consists in first unit- 10. The process of producing a thermo A plastic compound which consists in first uniting casein with. formaldehyde ahd a converting agent non-volatile at ordinary temperatures and then subjecting the'mass to heat andv pressure, substantially as described. 11. The process of producing a thermoplastic compound winch consists in unit:

ing casein with formaldehyde or its equivalent and with a converting agent, and heating and pressing the mass, substantially as described.

12. The process of producing a thermoplastic compound which consists in uniting casein with formaldehyde or its equivalent, and beta-naphthol or its equivalent, and heating and pressing the mass, substantially as described.

13. The process of producing a thermoplastic compound which consists in first uniting casein with a converting agent and then subjecting the mass to the action of an indurating agent, substantially as described.

14.. The process of producing a thermoplastic compound which consists in first uniting casein with a converting agent and an indurating agent and then subjecting mass to the further action of an indurating agent, substantially as described.

15. The process of producing a thermoplastic compound which consists in uniting casein with beta-naphthol and modifying the mass by the action of formaldehyde, substantially as described. I

16. A composition of matter consisting of a thermoplastic casein modified by an indurating agent, substantially as described.

17. A composition of matter consisting casein united with beta-naphthol and moditied by formaldehyde, substantially as described.

20. A composition of matter consisting of casein united with a solid converting agent and an indurating agent, substantially as described,

casein united with a mixture of a converting agent and an indurating agent, substantially as described.

22. A composition of matter consisting of a mixture of casein, beta-naphthol or its equivalent, and formaldehyde or its equivalent, substantially as described.

23. A composition of matter consisting of a, mixture-0f casein, a converting agent and anindurating agent, substantially as described. I

' BYRON B. GOLDSMITH.

Witnesses:

H. S. MAoKAYE, M. A. BUTLER.

21. A composition of matter consisting of 

